The Mixed Fortune of Talking Heads' Potential Reunion and Tributes

Fans of the legendary band Talking Heads have been riding a roller coaster of emotions with recent news hinting at a possible reunion, only to have those hopes dashed. Despite the excitement that bubbled up at the thought of the band getting back together, it seems that David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, and Jerry Harrison will not be reassembling for new tunes or to perform their classics anytime in the near future. The possibility of a reunion seemed more distant when David Byrne opened up to People about his past behavior, describing himself as 'a little tyrant' and reflecting on the band's acrimonious split in 1991.

Indeed, even lucrative offers haven't swayed the band members to reunite. Live Nation put forward an exceptional $80 million for the group to perform at several festivals, which they declined. Similarly, they passed up an opportunity to headline Coachella, which could have netted them as much as $10 million.

But it's not all bad news. The brief glimmer of hope for fans came during a semi-reunion event this past September for the world premiere of A24's 4k restoration of Talking Heads' concert movie, Stop Making Sense. The original band members appeared together onstage for a Q&A session moderated by Spike Lee. The event marked the first time they had shared a stage since their 2002 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and, according to Byrne's comment to The New York Times, there was a sense of camaraderie over their shared pride in the film.

The good news

For Talking Heads enthusiasts, not everything is lost. A24 is releasing a tribute album titled Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. The album is set to feature covers of tracks from the iconic concert by a variety of artists including Paramore, Lorde, and Miley Cyrus. While the full tracklist isn't out yet, Paramore has given fans a taste with their version of 'Burning Down The House', adding a spark of excitement about what the rest of the tribute album holds in store.

reunion, music, tribute